


Are you with me?

by Always_Tortu



Series: Elizabeth Edevane and her Adventurous Family [1]
Category: Disney Duck Universe, Donald Duck - Fandom, DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Donald Duck Needs a Hug, Donald needed a girlfriend and the kids an aunt/mother from the start, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Louie Duck Needs a Hug, M/M, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:08:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25836256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Always_Tortu/pseuds/Always_Tortu
Summary: ' Don't give up... Not yet... 'Have you ever wondered who is behind the camera that captures the best moments in the lives of Donald and his nephews? Maybe it could be a babysitter or friend who was with him in that precise time, or even Donald himself managed to take those pictures, but what if someone special in Donald's life was the mysterious photographer, and not just that, did also help him raise his kids to the point of loving them as if they were hers?
Relationships: Della Duck & Donald Duck, Della Duck & Launchpad McQuack, Della Duck & Scrooge McDuck, Della Duck/Penumbra, Dewey Duck & Donald Duck & Huey Duck & Louie Duck, Dewey Duck & Donald Duck & Huey Duck & Louie Duck & Scrooge McDuck & Webby Vanderquack, Dewey Duck & Huey Duck & Louie Duck & Lena & Webby Vanderquack, Donald Duck & Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck/OC, Drake Mallard/Launchpad McQuack, Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera/Gandra Dee, José Carioca & Donald Duck & Panchito Pistoles, José Carioca/Panchito Pistoles, M'ma Cabrera & Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera, OC/OC, Scrooge McDuck/"Glittering" Goldie O'Gilt
Series: Elizabeth Edevane and her Adventurous Family [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1874695
Comments: 9
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there, and welcome to my first story.
> 
> Please forgive my spelling. English is not my mother tongue so until now I will be carried away by what the Google translator gives me. Feel free to point out grammar mistakes and / or any information that doesn't make sense. Remember that this is pure fan-fiction, and that many events that will appear here will not be the same or resemble the canon of the series.
> 
> Hope you liked!

Her cell phone vibrated for the seventh time that night. She didn't have to take it out of his medical gown pocket to know who was calling her; after all, there was only one, or rather, four people who would call her at that particular hour in the morning. Discreetly she glanced at the watch tied to his left wrist to make sure what time left for her rest. She frowned a little when she noticed that her break had been three hours and a half ago.

"Is something wrong, Dr. Edevane?" the white-feathered duck looked up at hearing her title to relapse that the parents of her patient were watching her nervously and doubtfully. Mentally scolding herself, she shakes her head as a soft smile formed in her beak. The little bear on his side in the medical bed holding his belly with an expression full of pain groaned; the mother bear gives a short squeeze to his hand, trying to comfort him.

"Not at all, Mr. Brownbear, everything is fine." reverting her eyes to the results of the tests she had, she continues answering. "Your son only suffers from bad indigestion; too much of chocolate before bed, right darling?" the little bear groaned one more time. "Take some rest and some liquids in his diet for a few days; then little Bob will be good as new." maintaining her smile, she ruffled a little of the fur in Bod's head let out a soft laugh, then turned to look at the parents. "Mr. Brownbear, if you would do me a favor by joining me to sign the discharge papers?" she asked him then turn to the child. "Take care, Bob." she smiles at him.

"You to Dr. Edevane." was his reply.

She moved away from the child's stretcher and waited for the father to come out, then she rolls the curtains of the area where she was attending them and goes to the downtown station where a nurse was already waiting for her with the necessary sheets.

"Thank you, Mary." she quickly placed her signature where it belonged and filled in the necessary information to extend it to the bear. "You only need to sign on the first two and last five pages, then give it to one of the nurses, and little Bob will be ready to go home when his serum ends."

"That would be all?" he asked, flipping through the pages.

Dr. Edevane hesitated a few seconds at the thought of what to answer him. Just then, her phone vibrated again, reminding her that she could no longer ignore it.

"Just keep an eye out for any abnormalities in your child's health during these days. If the pains get worse or persist more than a few days from today, as well as if his weight increases or decreases, or if nausea turns into vomiting, come immediately, and we make sure to know what exactly is causing your son discomfort." she responded and quickly regretting it as she saw the worry in his eyes.

"I don't understand. You told us it's just bad indigestion."

"I know what I said. But just because all of Bob's symptoms are from bad indigestion, never hurts to be vigilant on your child's recovery path. We don't want something small to become something we can't handle in time." she was quick to answer then, somewhat insecurely gently touched his forearm, trying to cheer him up. "Your son will be fine, Mr. Brownbear. He just needs lots of hugs and a bowl of hot soup."

"He is fascinated by his mother's noodles." he nodded, and for the first time that night, the doctor could see a small smile on his furry face.

"See? You already have a covered base." she winked at him, then laughed out loud, and remove her hand from his forearm. "Have a good day, Mr. Brownbear, and say goodbye to your wife for me, please."

"Of course, thank you again, Dr. Edevane."

"You have nothing to be grateful for, just doing my job." and with a nod and a small smile, Dr. Edevane turned away from the big bear and began to navigate the long corridors of the emergency room, avoiding both patients and medical workers.

At her watch, she made one last glance to confirm that it was only a few hours before the shift change before reaching the room where she kept her belongings. She went to her locker and opened it, unhooked the stethoscope from her neck, and took off her medical gown taking her cell phone and her Hospital ID on the way. Her eyes rested briefly on the photographs taped to the door of her locker. Seeing the colors red, green, and two types of blue made her smile. She grabbed a pot of pills that was in her bag and then closed the door, but instead of leaving the room, she pressed her forehead to the cold metal of the locker, closed her eyes tightly, and let out a long, tired sigh. Her joints and muscles began to protest at all the physical work they did during her night shift, and she could already feel the migraine invade her head. She had to sit on the bench of that room and begin massaging her forehead in hopes of easing the pain a bit. She released her hair from the band that held it and tried to flex her neck to release some tension. She couldn't wait to get home and lie down on her bed next to her favorite pillow and hug him with all her strength until she fell into Morpheus's arms.

"I see you are finally taking a break." someone spoke behind her, which made her stand up in shock. When she faced the newcomer, she found a pig dressed in her nurse's uniform, her black hair was tied in a ponytail and held two smoking paper cups.

"Mary! I didn't hear you come in. All good? Does Wild need me?" She asked as she hurriedly pulled on her robe, ready to jump into action again.

"What? No! No sweetheart. Everything it's okay. Dr. Wild came out of surgery half an hour ago, the patient is already in Recoveries." she approached her to sit on the bench where she was before. "Poor girl, we couldn't save her leg."

"It was that or die. I don't know about you, but it would be good for me not to see anyone from the morgue today." Edevane said, sitting next to her, sighing.

"One of the reasons why I'm a nurse." she nodded and drank from one of the cardboard cups and offered the other to her. "Baby, you haven't eaten anything tonight." she insisted when the doctor denied it.

"I'm not hungry." at that moment, her stomach decided to betray her, and she let out a growl that made Mary raise an eyebrow in disbelief. "You know I don't like coffee anyway."

"It's not coffee." she insisted, and the nurse noticed how she looked at the cup out of the corner of her eye before taking it and taking a small sip. Instantly the features of her face contracted and then relaxed and put an expression of relief.

"Hot chocolate." she admitted and then gave him a long drink causing a slight smile in the nurse.

"Not very hot, but not cold either. Just how you like it."

"Thank you, Mary Su." she answered her sincerely, and the pig only made a gesture of disinterest.

"You know me, today for you, tomorrow for me." she reminded her to sip her drink. Both were in silence that was only broken by the constant sip they produced when drinking their respective drinks. Mary looked at the doctor somewhat uncertain, not knowing how to bring up the subject that she really wanted to talk to her. "I saw you with the Brownbears, are you okay?"

Dr. Edevane freezes herself in place and then drinks what left in her cup from one sip. She wiped the trail of drops from her beak with the back of her hand and struggled to keep her eyes focused on her palms.

"Everything is fine. I don't know what you mean." was Edevane quickly replied, perhaps too fast for her liking.

"Honey..." Mary placed one of her hands on her shoulder, maintaining a worried expression. "You don't have to play hard with me; you know you cannot fool me."

"Their son came with bad indigestion." she replied, and that simple sentence seemed to be enough for the nurse who pursed her lips and looked at the coffee in her hands and remaining silent, the doctor was grateful for that.

"I spoke to Marco a few minutes ago; he will arrive in half an hour. Why don't you just go home? I'll close out for you." offered minutes later, changing the subject.

"Sounds tempting, but no." she shook her head, but stop quick when she felt a great stab of pain from the sudden movement she made. "Besides, when has Marco been on time in his life? No thanks, I better stay, I have not yet written the resident reviews anyway."

Mary Su narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously.

"You can barely stand up. The 20-hour shift is only useful if you take it twice a month, not every other day. Do I have to tell you that what you are doing is not healthy?"

"That would only be irony." the doctor joked and saw that with a sip, Mary Su finished her coffee. She closes her eyes for a moment and rubbed the feathers on her face tiredly, clearly, only adrenaline could take away all the pain and exhaustion she had, and yet it was not safe for her or the patient suffering from extreme fatigue. "Okay, you win," she told her, and before the pig can said something, she added quickly. "...but as soon as Marco arrives. I will not risk when the hospital is understaffed." the nurse nodded, accepting her condition, and the two continued talking until Mary had to go back to work, leaving the doctor alone with her thoughts and pains.

An hour later, she was strolling toward the sliding doors of the hospital as a black-plumed raven scurried in. She greeted Marco and waved goodbye at Mary before leaving the building, quickly feeling a burden fall from her shoulders. The early morning chill seeped through the feathers of her cheeks, causing tickles and a sudden chill. She hurried to the parking lot where her slightly rusty purple-bodied station wagon waited for her. So quickly she entered, she put the safety lock. Because she was in a hospital does not mean she was completely safe from an assault in the middle of an almost deserted parking lot. She put the key in and turned it, and in an instant, she heard the engine choke as it tried to start.

"Come on, don't do this to me, darling." she begged to the truck and try again just to get the same result. She looked at the dashboard where the mileage was and could see how both the gasoline and battery light bulbs were blinking. "Oh phooey!" she growled and then hit the guide with force feeling frustrated.

........

"Sorry." she blurted out after spending 40 minutes in silence on the way home to her savior.

She had to leave her truck at the hospital with the promise of Mary that she would speak to her husband as soon as he woke up to point it out to his workshop and find out what the problem was now. The doctor still couldn't believe how lucky she was to have a friend like Mary Su. She would make sure to have two apple pies when the car is repaired. Now, she had to find a way to properly apologize to the one who had to wake up early to fetch her. She looked at her companion out of the corner of her eye, expecting a reprimand, but he only shrugged his shoulders, showing carelessness or fatigue, the doctor did not know which was worse.

"A patient with bad digestion required all my attention, and by the time I realized it, I had already skipped my rest hour."

"I called you four times." his raspy voice, which made him sound like he suffered from a horrible cold, broke the tense silence seconds later. "The boys wanted to say goodbye before going to bed, like, you know, every night."

"I know, I know, and I'm soo sorry, Donald."

"I know it's difficult and more so now that you've transferred to the ER, but Elizabeth, we agreed. You would call the boys before bedtime. You would tell Huey not to stay reading until dawn again, or else there will be consequences. You would tell Dewey a joke so that he would sleep with a smile, and with Louie...well... Whatever you always do with him so insomnia doesn't attack him." the sailor looked at her briefly in despair, and Elizabeth felt even lousier than she was about to cause him that feeling. "We have our routine Eliz; it'ss our list. With it, we stay safe."

"..." she opened her beak to answer him, but after thinking about it, she closed it, it was not worth arguing, he was right anyway. Also, she didn't want to add any more reasons for her migraine to get stronger. She chose to remain silent and let him talk as much as he wanted. After all, he had the right. It had worried him.

Ten minutes later, they reached the dock with the sun beginning to rise on the horizon. They parked in front of a houseboat in the background. Donald turned off the engine of his car but did not get out. He kept both hands on the wheel, staring out at the view of the bay. Eliza felt and could hear the waves' sweet purr as they gently hit the ships that were there. Just that sound made her migraine go down in intensity and made it harder for her to keep her eyes open. She focuses on the houseboat in front of her, searching for any sign of having been burned or sunk in her absence. Still, everything seemed to be as it should be in her home, nothing new or broken or out of the ordinary, which was a miracle, or maybe the migraine prevented her from seeing it. Perhaps it was the latter, every time she had migraines, her eyesight was not the best, and many took advantage of that, the kids mostly.

A brush in her left cheek brought her out of her trance, making her looked at the duck next to her. He smiled weakly at her, and she could see his gaze softening as he connected his dark blue eyes with hers. She returned the same weak smile and placed her hand over his to hold him and return his charisms. The two continued to see each other for a few minutes, communicating everything and nothing simultaneously without the need for words. The pressure he placed on her cheek and how he tangled the loose strands of her hair between his fingers conveyed all the concern he felt when she didn't call him. How fear consumed him by being sent to the mailbox every time he tried to communicate with her. The emptiness that threatened to expand in his heart at the thought of her gone; that she abandoned him and the children too. Simultaneously, she was trying to apologize for having forgotten her promise to call him by placing a small kiss on the back of his hand. She wanted to reassure him by clapping their hands, showing that she was fine and assuring him that she is still with him. She clung closer to the hold of his hand, wanting to remind him that she would not go anywhere and that he and the kids would never be alone again. Never. Slowly and somewhat uncertainly, the duck in marine clothing was approaching their faces, slid his hand until it reached the back of his head, just placing it on the nape of his neck, and she only smiled at him with more encouragement. Eliza felt her most sensitive feathers begin to tickle, and the moment their beaks connected, her heart became lighter.

This was not the first time something similar had happened. Both Donald and Elizabeth need to remind that the other one stood by their side, that they existed in their lives and not that they were just a fantasy, a dream from which they force to awake. Many would say that their relationship was not healthy, as they depended a lot on each other to move forward. They were deaf to those comments; after all, what happened between them was their business, not others. The meeting was pure chance, falling in love, and living life together was their decision, a desire to try again and be happy with their little family. During the kiss, they ended up in a hug that neither wanted to leave. Eliza hid her face in Donald's neck while he absently stroked her short hair. Each one deep in their thoughts, but not far from the reality, from the normality of being in the other's arms.

"Don't worry about the boys. I'm sure that as soon as they see you in the kitchen in the afternoon, they'll forgive you."

"And you, Mr. Duck?" she opened one eye to see him and noticed how a mischievous smile formed on his beak.

"I will need more than a few cakes to forgive that you have not answered my calls."

She raised an eyebrow but still smiled.  
"How about the promise that it won't happen again?"

"You won't be able to keep it."

"A text message wishing you a good night?"

"Is not sufficient."

"Donald!" she playfully hit him on the arm, making the sailor laugh out loud.

"Okay, okay." he calmed his laugh out of habit.

Despite Eliza swearing that his voice did not bother her in the almost ten years they had known each other and that his nephews tolerated it and were used to it, he knew that there were people who irritated and annoyed them and that did not understand him. That would cause him to get angry and end in fights with screaming and hitting. Just remembering it made him feel heavy and very tired. The sun had already risen completely, which heralded a new day in their lives. He could see in the rear-view mirror as his neighbors began to come out on deck to start their morning routines, and that reminded him that he would have to wake up his children to take them to school very soon. Releasing a heavy sigh, he kissed the forehead of his beloved to undo the hug. Eliza pouted a little at how comfortable the warmth of the sailor's body against hers felt. They weren't this close together for a long time. The two of them stay in silence, enjoying each other's company without worry. They needed their old works hours, but with Donald's current work situation, they've had to make some sacrifices in order to keep a roof over them and food on the table.

They were careful not to step on the loose deck boards as they headed for the door that would lead them into the boat. Donald put a key in the lock and opened it. They both rubbed their feet on the carpet before entering and lock the door. Eliza wished she had stayed in the car by looking inside. It was all chaos, not so much that needs her to wake up those responsible and demand that they clean up the mess they made, but that chaos put her compulsive organizing nerves to the max. She shot a glance at Donald, and he gave a nervous little laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck. She tried to think if it was worth picking up now, but just then, the migraine pains returned, causing her to forget about the clutter and choose to go to sleep. She tried not to trip over the pillows and sheets on the floor on her way to her room. She did not bother to change; she just let her bag and backpack roll from her arms and fall to the floor to throw herself on the bed, letting out a groan of relief the moment her head made contact with her pillow.

Has that pillow been this soft always?

"Here." Donald's voice made her open her eyes to find that he was handing her a new dose of pills with a glass of water for her headache.

"Thank you." she breathed deeply before sitting down to drink them, feeling the cold liquid go down her throat caused her a feeling of satisfaction, and she could feel her features soften as she connected glances with him. "Hey..."

"...hey." he replied, returning the smile to caress her face gently, she subconsciously leaned on his hand. "Tomorrow morning will be my job interview, if everything goes well, in a week we will return to our routine, to our real list." he tried to cheer her up. Still, Eliza knew those words were meant for both of theme. "One more week, and bye overtime."

"Pull them over tomorrow, did you hear me? Have no mercy on anyone." her demand caused the duck to laugh out loud.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" he asks her with a loving look.

She only smiled fondly at him to stretch her hand so she could gently stroke the feathers on his face. He smiled back at her and leaned in slightly to connect their beaks in a tender kiss. They both felt their hearts shake in their chests with force, and their spirits rise.

"And have I told you how much I love you, Mr. Duck?"

"So many to lose count."

"And yet it doesn't seem to be enough." she agreed and after giving him a last small kiss, she went back to bed, and Donald adjusted the sheets for her. "I love you."

Donald watched her with a smile that showed how much his heartfelt for her. He stroked her hair a little and then kissed her forehead.

"I love you too, Eliza, sweet dreams."

And so, she allowed herself to close her tired eyelids and rest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ducks!"
> 
> "It was not our fault!"

**CLACK! CRASH! BOOM! ******

********

********

"Ducks!"

"It was not our fault!" three voices responded at the same time to the shout of their science teacher.

The teacher, a hound with a thick mustache, has his glare on three identical little ducks covered in a purple slimy mass from head to toe like everyone else in the lab. He had his arms crossed, and all the students could swear that sparks came from his eyes because of how furious he was. The receivers of his glare were pale under the layers of that strange slimy mass and feathers. The three kids started to try and explain what happened so that their experiment would react that way.

"Mr. Drum," began slowly the one who seemed to be the oldest of the three, having taken off his red cap to try and remove as much of the remains of his experiment as possible, "I assured you that there is a logical explanation for this. You see, we were following the steps you gave us when—"

"Someone sabotaged us!" interrupted the second brother slapping his hands on the table, splashing more of that slimy mass when his palms made contact on the surface. "They made sure we were looking the other way, and they screwed up us!

"What my brother Dewford means is that—" tried the first one again, but the third kid interrupted him this time.

"That we wouldn't have damaged our project on purpose, even this ..." he pointed around him: walls, ceiling, floor, tables, utensils, and students were cover in that strange substance. "It is too low for our standards. Because please, what would we gain from this? It's the last day of school! "

"Louie, you're not helping." He muttered to his younger brother without taking his eyes off his teacher who seemed to change colors from the anger, Louie just shrugged nonchalantly.

"I am only telling the truth, my dear Hubert." He emphasized the last word, earning a warning look from his older brother. "It's not my fault that Mr. Drum doesn't see all the angles."

"Enough!" the teacher's scream silenced the three of them, and several students jumped from their seats in fright. "To the principal's office, now!" right there, some of the mass that was adhering to the ceiling came loose and fell on the hound's head, making things worse.

......

"Thank you for taking me, Gloria."

It wasn't until about one o'clock in the afternoon that Elizabeth wakes up to find herself alone in her home. It was not entirely surprising; the children would still be in school, and Donald, who, although he would attend a job interview the next day, would continue filling out job applications throughout the city. Just in case. That would leave her a couple of hours of tranquility to be able to rest, recharge, and prepare dinner for when the four men of her life arrive. Although what she wanted most was to continue sleeping in those moments, she had to attend to what woke her up in the first place. Feeling her body heavy with fatigue, she rolled on her bedsheets until she reached the side where her phone is connected. Donald must have plugged it into his charging cable before leaving. She didn't bother to verify the contact's ID before answering the call after the fourth ring.

"This is Edevane," she mumbled sleepily, sticking her phone to her left ear while her right hand rubbed her face trying to drive away from the dream, it took a few seconds to identify who the person on the other line was and process what she was saying. Still, when she did, every bit of weariness left her being and was replaced by seriousness. "I'll be there right away, thanks for calling." She hung up and put her phone aside to hide her face in her hands and groan in frustration; it was too early for her.

She had to make two calls before entering the bathroom and doing her morning routine. She contacted Donald first to let him know that she would pick up the kids from school and not worry. The second call was to get a ride so she could get to the school fast. Lucky for her, having a police friend brought benefits.

"Seriously, I owe you one."

"Pay me with coffee later, and we're good." the bird with dark plumage made a carefree gesture, her brown eyes observing every movement that her doctor friend made from her place in the passenger seat.

"I will do it," she promised with a nod, and Gloria laughed.

"So ..." she glanced at her, diverting her attention from the road for a few seconds "did your _pollitos _do their thing again?__

____

____

"Yep!" she replied in a sigh.

"On the last day of school?" she laughed again when Elizabeth nodded. " _Mija _, that _niños tuyos_ will be the death of you."__

_____ _

_____ _

"Don't even say it." She rubbed her eyes wearily and leaned her head against the head of her seat. "If they're not joking the janitor, they stink bombs in the library, and those are the times when they don't even try. Imagine when they want to make life miserable for someone?!" she growled, and Gloria could do nothing but give her a supportive smile. "We believed the Juniors Woodchucks would be enough to handle their extensive energies and keep their creative minds occupied, but it doesn't work. Louie did not want to continue participating for the week, and Dewey was bored after the month. The only consolation I have is that Huey did like him, and is now following in his family's footsteps. "She sighed in resignation and looked at the buildings and cars out the window "I'm talking to Donald about enrolling Dewey in a theater workshop when he returns to class."

"And the little one?"

"Louie is good at math and has the mind of an entrepreneur, maybe look for Marketing camps when he is older? I'm still not sure." she checked her phone for a moment, and when she noticed that she had no new notifications, she put it in her bag again "Meanwhile, I don't know what to do with them."

"Put them in a sack and throw them to the sea." Elizabeth looked at her badly, and Gloria just laughed; they stopped at a light when the traffic light changed to red, and the officer turned and leaned one of her forearms on the guide to face her friend. "Look, what you need is to be more assertive; you're too _blanda _on those _diablillos_. "__

_____ _

_____ _

"I am not soft!" she exclaimed offended, and Gloria only raised an eyebrow with a clear expression of not believing her to continue speaking.

"You please them in everything, of course, you are soft!" she answered her, and Elizabeth looked away "A suitable reprimand, and you will see that they will not get into trouble again. It worked with Fenton. "

"I highly doubt that your son has ever received a reprimand in his life." she murmured, rolling her eyes, but still, Gloria heard her.

"Because he knows what is good for him." she started the car when the light turned green "I'm telling you _mija, una buena nalgá _is what they need, and you will see _que derechitos se ponen_."__

_____ _

_____ _

"It is not the solution. I understand that you _Latinos _solve everything that way, but it is not like that with us, not in my house." the told her the moment they stopped in front of their destination, the triplet school. "The day Donald or I put a hand on the children, I will call you to arrest us."__

____

____

"Eva, I'm just trying to tell you that you and your _marido _have every right to discipline them as necessary. They are your _pollitos _; you two raised them together..."____

_____ _

_____ _

"Come by before your shift starts at home for your coffee." Elizabeth interrupted her, unfastening her seat belt so she could get out of the vehicle. Gloria closed her beak, watched her grab her purse, and then shut her car door, perhaps using more force than necessary. When she noticed that she was beginning to ascend the stairs that lead to the school entrance, she hurriedly lowered the glass of the window to call her.

"Eva!" Elizabeth stopped and looked at her over her shoulder "Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" She apologized, and the doctor knew that she was saying it sincerely, she noticed how a small and honest smile appeared on her best friend's beak. "You're a great mom Elizabeth. Those children with Donald are lucky to have you."

"You're wrong, Gloria, I'm the lucky one to have them." She waved her hand goodbye. "Thanks again for your rescue Officer Cabrera."

"It was a pleasure, Dr. Edevane." She winked at her and then left, Eliza followed her with her eyes until her car got lost in the main traffic. She looked back at the school and took a deep breath before entering it.

She had only visited Duckburg Elementary once in her life before her children were enrolled there. The school had not changed at all for 27 years, and that was a miracle considering that her children liked to turn the school into a war field with their jokes. She strolled through the corridors that would lead her straight to the principal's office, running into several students and teachers rushing to their assigned classrooms on the way. Her sight fell on a street cross hanging from the ceiling; it announced the arrival of summer and the end of classes. 

She frowns, they really couldn't control each other for a day, could they? The last day for all the ducks?!

She heard their voices before turning the corner. Her children were arguing with each other, and she could already feel the headache return.

"It was Gred and his group! Why don't they believe us? "That was Dewey, always the first to jump to conclusions and give her and Donald more headaches and heart attacks.

"They must have taken advantage when Mr. Drum wasn't paying attention, which leaves us with our word against theirs." was the response of the youngest of the three, Louie. "And let's face it, our file is not entirely clean anyway. They wouldn't even believe us with the evidence in front of their eyes." he declared, and his brothers growled in frustration.

"Do you think they will expel us?"

Eliza pursed her lower beak as she heard Huey voice her concern.

"On the last day of school? They cannot be so desperate to get out of us, my dear brother." the doubt in his voice was understandable, although Louie tried to mask it with disinterest.

"Expelled or not, you'll still be grounded." she declared, making them notice her presence.

The triplets looked up at the same time, and their eyes went wide at the sight of her. In a second, they were in front of her with nervous and insecure looks. Those glances made Elizabeth want to retract for a second and focus on reassuring them. Luckily, she was able to hold her ground. "Wow, I'm soft." she thought surprised and planted mentally into apologizing to Gloria later.

"Hello Aunt Eli, what brings you so early through this gruesome and painful prison?" Louie began keeping her hands hidden in the pockets of her green coat which, much to Elizabeth's regret, seemed to need an urgent wash because of the slimy stains it had

Seen Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, the younger thought better of it and fell silent. The doctor looked seriously at her other two nephews, who seemed to want to say something but did not dare. Elizabeth did not have the patience for this and feeling the migraine return raised a hand to stop them.

"We will talk at home."

"But Aunt Eli, we—" Dewey, as always, couldn't suppress the need to contradict others.

"We'll talk at home, I said!" declared angry, and the little duckling closed his beak.

With a look, Huey and Louie keep silent and involuntarily sink into the bench where they were sitting before. She turned her attention to the secretary behind the small desk surrounded by papers and files. Her royal blue plumage shone from the rays of the sun that filtered through the window, helping to highlight her light purple dress.

"The director is waiting for you." The peacock warned her by adjusting her round-rimmed glasses, Eliza thanked her with a polite smile before entering the principal's office.

The atmosphere felt heavier in that room. Dark-blue curtains covered the large window behind the director's desk, preventing the light's entry giving the place a sinister air. Her gaze fell on the giant black-furred bull dressed in a velvet suit. The principal was with his eyes on a file that looked as though it had been taped up several times in the past. The red pen, that seemed to be giving its last breaths from the force that the bull applied to it while writing, made the doctor shiver.

"Have a seat Miss Edevane," he asked without looking up from the file; his voice was thick and quite masculine; it reminded Elizabeth of the gangsters from her favorite series.

With slow steps, she made her way to the small visitor chair in front of the desk. She tries to appear calm and serenity, although inside, she just wanted to run away from how nervous she was. Eliza just hoped that Director Bravo didn't start one of his monologues and get straight to the point.

"First grade: Continually interrupting the teacher, challenging his authority, and not wanting to do the assignments. Normal, something you deal with when you try to teach six-year-olds. Second grade: Class breaks, prank the school teacher, and charges for the men's room. Strange, how did we get there? Third grade: Fighting at recess, obstruction of the peace, and illegal sale of desserts. This case is getting more and more interesting, don't you think?" He briefly looked up from the pile of papers, and Elizabeth unconsciously sank further into her chair; the principal reread "Fourth Grade: Fighting continues, pranks are back, and the Christmas dinner scam happened. Thanks for the apple pie, by the way. And now, Fifth grade, look Miss Edevane, I will be honest, with the lack of fighting and the reduction in teasing I thought they were starting to change. That I would finally have the example students that you and Mr. Duck promised me; that after years of arguments and punishments, we would finally finish the school year without any accident, but just today, on the last day of school, they proved me wrong." He arranged the papers and closed the file to put it aside, clasped his hands, and supported his arms on the table and leaned forward, covering the poor doctor with his shadow. "What excuse can you give me for not expelling them once and for all?" his dark and cruel eyes seemed to penetrate Edevane's scary soul.

Well, the monologue seemed to be today's special. Nervously, Elizabeth tightened the strap of her bag and swallowed hard, trying to find her voice.

"I'm sure the accident in the laboratory has an explanation." she tries to justify them in a low voice, but the bull snorted in disbelief.

"Those kids are nothing but trouble! They are the same devil! "

"Director Bravo, I wish you didn't call my children that way." She frowned, feeling a bit angry at his words. "They may have too much spirit and energy for this school, but that doesn't give you the right to call them that." she said seriously, feeling how the fear she felt for the bull completely vanished.

"You and I have a different meaning for what is 'spirit' and 'energy'." he answered her and proceeded to get up from his seat to start walking around his office. "You know well; other schools would have expelled them the first time. However, against my criteria, I wanted to be patient, give them a chance.

"And Donald and I are grateful for that."

"But I can no longer do it; it is not fair to their teachers, and your children need to start being aware of their actions."

"What does it mean?" she asked cautiously, feeling how little by little her heart wanted to stop beating; she followed him with her gaze until the director returned to his seat behind his desk.

"I am afraid that for the next school year, young Hubert, Dewford, and Llewellyn will have to find another school to attend." he replied simply beginning to accommodate new roles in the great file of the triplets.

"Are you talking about e-expelling them?!" she asked, horrified.

"They made an experiment explode that even a 6-year-old could do. What if other components were to use? Something lethal and dangerous for their classmates?" he slightly denied with an expression of annoyance "The school board is obliged to watch over all the students, and they understand that your children have become a danger to this school right now."

"You mean for your bank account." She corrected him, and the bull stopped to watch her warily

"What are you implying?" he asked, slowly raising an eyebrow, Elizabeth stood up and copied his gestures.

"Let's be honest; you are losing students to the opening of the new private school next door. Without students, there is no delivery of McDuck financial aid; and you and I know that those funds are not going to any school program." she looked at the nails on her right hand, simulating unconcern. "The expulsion of my children is a perfect cover. You hide the fact that education in this place is poor while you manage to get new students with the excuse that three fifth-graders tormented the school. New students, more money for you and your "school council. "

The silence between them was dense and full of negative vibes. Elizabeth did not look away from Headmaster Bravo as he seemed to be thinking carefully about where to hide her body without raising suspicions. Edevane, feeling how her heart wanted to leave her chest because of the force with which it was beating, rose from her seat to slowly place her hands on the desk without breaking the visual contact between them.

"This is what we are going to do: my children will graduate from this school even if it is the end of the world, and I will pretend that nothing is happening, or with one call, I will have the feds knocking on your door. You decide." she let go and silence reigned in that office.

Hearing the echo of her heartbeat in her ears and as her insides trembled in anticipation, she waited patiently for a response from Principal Bravo. Although he could easily crush her like an insect, she did not allow herself to be intimidated. She knew she had been foolish and careless to go so far as to threaten him, but she couldn't let her family, her children, be pawns for a few extra bills.

"Punishment will be. This summer, every weekend, they will come and help with the maintenance and cleaning. "

Did he want to negotiate? Well, she could do that.

"Three weekends and an anonymous message might appear on the internet saying how great this school is."

"Two weekends if it includes a request for donations for the school equipment."

"One, and I'll bring free pies for everyone." She offered, and while she knew it sounded ridiculous, her family weren't the only ones who loved her desserts.

After what seemed like hours, Bravo leaned back, and Elizabeth felt she could breathe again. 

What you do for your children.

"It seems fair to me." Accepting his defeat, he returned the file to the filing cabinet where the rest of the students files were located, much to the doctor's relief.

"So I don't see the need for my presence then. If you'll excuse me, I have shopping to do." She walked away from the desk to head to the exit after grabbing her bag

"A word of advice, Miss Edevane, if I may." Elizabeth just raised an exasperated eyebrow, "It's easy to think you're the smartest in the room when without realizing, maybe your doom." he warned her. To Eliza's surprise, he offered her a small but inquisitive smile. "I recommend you to be careful in the future; not everyone will settle for desserts. Have a nice day."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pollitos: liitles ducklings  
> Mija: Girl  
> niños tuyos: your boys  
> blanda: soft  
> diablillos: devils  
> una buena nalga: a good slap in the buttock; a common method for Latina mothers to discipline their children  
> que derechitos se ponen: what rights are put  
> marido: husband; in Puerto Rico they do not necessarily have to be legally married to call your partner husband or wife, because after living together for more than 5 years and forming a family they are considered married
> 
> Feeling inspired by the new DuckTales promotion, I set myself the task of finishing the second chapter on this very special day.
> 
> Darkwing Birthday!
> 
> Next chapter, a good moment between Elizabeht and her children before Woo-ho!
> 
> See you next time!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bus ride was stressfully uneventful for Dewey's taste.

The bus ride was stressfully uneventful for Dewey's taste. As soon as they sat in the back, Aunt Eliza laid her head back on the seat and closed her eyes, not opening them again until they reached their next stop. Her brother Louie stood by the window, leaving him and Huey on either side of the doctor. They tried to be quiet so as not to upset Elizabeth more than they already have. The school called probably woke her earlier than her usual time on workdays. The pit of his stomach increases while he could feel drops of guilt begin to invade his mind. Unable to bear it anymore, he wanted to apologize to his aunt and promise that it would not happen again, but Louie, noticing what he was about to do, silenced him with an elbow to his side. Dewey looked deadly at his brother rubbing the area because it hurt, and he just shook his head and pointed at the adult.

He ignored him, and when he looked up for a few seconds to see his aunt, he mentally thanked his younger brother for stopping him. If it weren't the fact that it was not the first time he had seen her in that state, he would have doubted that that duck was their aunt. Her hair, ordinarily loose, showing her beautiful slings and curls, was knotted and tied up in a poor ponytail excuse. Without makeup to cover the presence of large dark circles hanging under her eyes, everyone could see how exhausted she was both mentally and physically and added years to her person. She was also wearing her coat patched up with several different colors and torn on the sleeves where her little finger and thumb poked out, making her look like she was missing a few pounds. And if Dewey leaned forward enough, he could see the fabric of her socks peeking out, revealing that she was indeed not wearing a pair.

In other words, their aunt was a mess and too exhausted. 

He refrained from doing anything stupid until they reached the stop near the pier. Walking behind their aunt, they hurried off the bus and walked the rest of the way until they reached their houseboat. The same mess as the day before greeted the family; they didn't need to see their aunt's disapproving look for him and his brothers to rush to sort everything out. Huey took care of taking out the trash while he and Louie cleared the room. His aunt left her bag near the entrance and disappeared into the kitchen, and Dewey could hear correctly as his aunt opened the doors to the refrigerator and the pantry. She would surely start preparing something to eat, which was quite a relief. Due to the laboratory accident, he and his brothers could not eat lunch and was starving. One look at his younger brother, and he could tell by his expression that he was also thinking the same. He takes the sheets on the floor, and after wrapping them all together, he put them in the laundry basket while Louie arranged the cushions on the sofa.

When Huey returned, Aunt Eli came out of the kitchen with a tray full of tuna sandwiches and a pitcher top of orange juice. He and his brothers ate in the dining room in silence while their aunt returned to the kitchen. When Dewey had his third sandwich, his aunt's voice made him choke on the bite he was currently chewing.  
"Good afternoon Mrs. Watson, I hope this is not a bad time."

His brothers had similar reactions. Huey, who was pouring himself some juice, almost dropped the jug, and Louie spits the orange juice he was sipping on the table. The coughing and apologizing scandal caught the large duck's attention, who glanced over her shoulder to shoot them a suspicious look. The triplets quickly recovered from the shock and began to act as if nothing was happening. Only when Elizabeth looked at them for a few more seconds and turned her back to them, the three shared looks of panic; they knew that name. They hurriedly peered past the gap between the dining room and the kitchen to spy their aunt, who was on the phone.

"It is good to know that you are following the diet that I recommended. Remember: if we want to improve your sugar level, we must make an effort to stop the sweet things." their aunt smiled and funnily rolled her eyes. "Sure, you can still drink your coffee after it is only once a day, no problem." they saw her nod three times, "Yes, yes, like that." Elizabeth gave a small laugh for seconds later to become calm. "I'm calling because an issue came up, and we need someone to take care of the boys tomorrow. It wouldn't be much of a bother if you could...? Really? "Elizabeth's eyes lit up, and the triplets noticed how her posture relaxed. "Thank you soo much, Mrs. Watson. You don't know how you are helping me right now. You know what? Come early tomorrow, and I'll prepare a rich breakfast myself, with coffee included. " soon, their aunt agreed the time with the lady and then reminded her that she invited to breakfast to say goodbye and hang up the call.

Oh, Phooey!

Unable to wait for a second longer, Dewey took his brothers by the collars of their shirt and hoodie to dragged them to their room. Ignoring their complaints, he pushed them both inside, and after throwing one last look of panic towards his aunt, who was now writing on paper, he closed the hatch. He leaned back and faced his brothers with an expression of pure terror.

"We are so doomed!" yelled/whispered at them. 

Huey rushed to grab his Juniors Woodchucks journal that he hid under his cap to open it and begin scribbling on it with a pencil. Louie looked with some interest over his shoulder, curious about what he was doing.

"With Mrs. Watson looking after us, Operation Cape Suzette is at risk. Uncle Donald was going to the job interview before 10, and with a distraction, we would be able to keep Aunt Eli out for a few hours, which would give us enough time to get to and from Cape Suzette without raising suspicions. Unfortunately, we do not consider having a babysitter, because if it were, I would have a contingency plan for this situation. "He showed his brothers two pages of his notebook in which the steps of their foolproof process could see numbered and decorated with drawings that now had new scribbles with red X's on the list.

"Great, Gred not only got us possibly expelled, but he also ruined the only chance we had to have the best summer ever." He pointed with his hands in the pockets of his green hoodie. "If it weren't for the fact that I believe in coincidences, I would see all this as a conspiracy against us."

"Forget about coincidences and conspiracies. Our fun is at stake! "

"Okay, okay, lower your voice." the oldest of the three rushed to silence them, then began to write on another blank page. "I think I have an idea on how to Save Operation Cape Suzette, but I would recommend using it only in emergencies." reported slowly and with some insecurity.

"Dear Hubert, I think we have already entered that phase since Mr. Drum referred us to the principal's office." Louie tried to persuade him, but Huey was still unsure; Dewey pressed him again.

"How much are the chances that we are grounded all summer if we do it?”

"97.99%" he replied, and Louie whistled in surprise.

"That's a high number, don't you think soo brother?“

"That's why I say let's not do it then. Let's take our punishment now, be nice to Mrs. Watson, and during the summer, when all is quiet, we ask Aunt Eli and Uncle Donald if they can take us to Cape Suzette. Nobody gets hurt, no lies or cheating, and we all win.“

"That sounds pretty good, Huey, but you forget one thing, one tiny little detail." Dewey clasped his hands to point it out. "We got kicked out, and Aunt Eli is furious. When Uncle Donald finds out between the two of them, I am sure that they will impose a punishment worse than death. "

Louie and Huey rolled their eyes at his exaggeration but were still somewhat concerned about what else he said. The one in the green hoodie slowly placed a hand on his older brother's right shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Huey, but I'm with Dewey on this one. If they punish us, they should do it for something we did and not for what others blame us. "The one with the red cap looked at him and then looked at his diary and then saw Dewey's expectant face and then went back to see his little brother's calm expression.

"Alright." He let out a sigh of defeat and then show them the new plan that he devised in his notebook. "The plan has 7 phases. Louie, you start…."

..... 

Elizabeth sighed after cleaning the last dish that her nephews left on the dining room table. Usually, she would call them up and scold them for not at least taking their dishes to the sink, but she wasn't in the mood to pick another fight. Better to focus on finding someone who could help her bake 27 cakes for the weekend. After drying her hands with a cloth that always hung on the handle of the refrigerator, she took her phone to start browsing her contacts, considering her options for the moment until she found one filed as "Idiot FanBoy." She thought about it a bit and then dialed the ID and put her phone between her shoulder and ear.

She waited six seconds when the person on the other end answered the call.

"Hershey pie," she greeted with a small smile. "Yes, it's been a lot… How are you? And work?" a few minutes passed in which she and 'Hershey Pie' caught up before she got to the reason for her call. "Yeah, listen… Although most I would like is to discuss the plot of 'The Legend of Korra' with you, I need an urgent favor. "

Elizabeth left the kitchen and directed her attention to a striking white calendar footprint filled with reminders in red, green, blue, black, and purple hanging on the dining room wall. Her eyes roamed over the dates and times written on it as she absently picked up a purple marker dangling from a red thread on the footprint.

"Can I use your place as a bakery on Thursday morning and Friday all day?" she asked him after verifying that the appointments she had in the coming days could move without spoiling her schedule. " Something happened, and I need a trusting oven." her eyes lit up, and her smile grew when she heard a yes from him. "If I could kiss you, I would; you know that, right? You are my hero, Hershey pie! I will send you the list before tomorrow to advance the purchase of the ingredients then. Thanks again, Draky. I'll see you in a few days. Love you.” she hung up the call and could not help but sigh in relief to begin deleting and moving the commitments for the next week and readjusting the entire family schedule, which led her to make more calls.

She knew that the moment Donald arrived and told her about his new work schedule, she would have to rearrange the entire calendar to divide the tasks and responsibilities between them. She hoped her Donald would land the hard-earned accountant job while working during the day and studying at night with little sleep to spend time with her and her nephews. They were difficult years and more with the debts growing every day because of it. If only she didn't have her debts on which she spent most of her doctor's salary, they would already be living in a lovely house in London. What little she had left, she kept in an account in a foreign bank that made it grow for more money added to it. She had agreed with Donald only to use that money for emergencies if necessary, but in the meantime, she would continue to settle for what the male duck generated with his different jobs.

After finishing her ninth and last call, she put her phone away and walked away from the tread, realizing at that moment how calm and silent everything was. A feeling of uneasiness and insecurity combed her feathers as she made her way to her children's room. When she was in front of the hatch, she rapped lightly three times with her knuckles, and three seconds later, Dewey invited her in. The young doctor entered without saying a word to go directly to the bunk in the room and sit on the lower bed decorated with green sheets, Louie's bed. Her nephews watched her silently as she rubbed one hand over her face as she let out a sigh. The triplets shared a quick look of concern. After all, the times their aunt behaved that way, they were always in serious trouble. After what seemed like the tensest ten seconds of their lives, Elizabeth decided to uncover her face and focus on her children. She indicates them to sit next to her and tried to smile as much as possible to reassure them.

"I want your version of events."

All three pairs of eyes focused on her; all carried the same weight of guilt and fear as they slowly approached her. Eliza didn't know which of those she should worry about the most.

"They sabotaged our experiment. It was not our intention to burst it, Aunt Eli. "Huey answered quickly, and his brothers nodded, backing him. The one with the red cap chose to sit in a chair while Dewey sat on the floor; Louie was the only one to sit on his bed next to his aunt.

"No revenge against the professor?" the children denied. "A joke that got out of control?" again, they denied at the same time. "Incredible," she murmured, massaging her forehead as she felt her headache increase. "Just ... Incredible." she could feel someone leaning on her right arm, and instinctively she moved it so that she could hug Louie by the shoulders and begin to absentmindedly stroke his hair.

"Aunt Eli?" Dewey tried to capture her attention; Elizabeth glanced at him; he was playing with his shirt sleeves absentmindedly and kept his gaze fixed on his lap, unable to meet her eyes. Eliza felt her heart soften when she detected that little nervous tic that he had inherited from his uncle. "Were we expelled?" slowly, he looked up to see her, unsure if he wanted to know the answer, his brothers looked at him for a few seconds and then returned to see their aunt waiting for her response.

Seeing them like this, so desperate and nervous, made her remember how young her nephews were.

"... No," she let out on a sigh and smirked as they relaxed their postures dramatically happy for his answer. "but you three will have to go back to school this weekend to clean the lab."

"Even though it's not our fault?"

"Pitifully."

“But why not expel us now? It's not that I'm not happy that it is. " Louie quickly added at the incredulous looks of his older brothers. "But, think about it, this time it seemed like we fried. Why not take advantage of it and send us flying away even without the laboratory being our fault.“

"Better not think about it. Let's thanks that you still have a school to attend for the next school year." without warning, Eliza got up from the bed to grab Dewey by the waist and spin him around in the air, eliciting a couple of laughs. "Now... how about we forget about today, and you take a bath so you can help me prepare dinner? Hmm? Your uncle Donald will be here soon, and what better way to greet him than with a good meal.

"Shall we make pasta?" Dewey asked with interest, and Elizabeth nodded with a smile.

"I don't see why not.“

"Yes! I ask to make the sauce! "Dewey exclaimed soon as he was back on the floor to run out of the room with Huey on his heels.

"Not if I do it first, Dewford."

"In your wildest dreams, Hubert."

Seeing them again with their usual unruly and competitive attitude brought calm to Elizabeth's anxious heart. Together with their uncle, they gave meaning to her life, and she could not see herself in a world without them. Although they were unfortunately not related by blood, they were her family; she loved those little ducklings as if they were his own. Eliza would give anything to see them happy and safe, even if that meant that she would have to do everything in her power to keep their place of study for them.

It took a few long seconds to notice that Louie hadn't followed his brothers and was still sitting on his bed, staring at her.

"Is something wrong, darling?“

"Why did you call Mrs. Watson if we are not grounded?" he asked, and Elizabeth took a deep breath to sit down next to him again.

"I don't have to remind you that listening to other people's conversations is rude, right sweetheart?" she raised an eyebrow looking at him, and Louie only responded with a lazy smile.

"If it were a conversation you didn't want us to hear, you would have made your call off the boat Aunt Eli." was his answer, and Elizabeth gave a small laugh and shook her head slightly.

"Never change," they both shared a smile, and the doctor ruffled her nephew's hair. "Answer your question, something happened, and I need to go shopping tomorrow, and since your Uncle Donald will attend his interview, we need someone to take care of you and your brothers."

"I understand that, but Mrs. Watson?"

"What's wrong with her?"

"Well ... she's old, boring, and all she does is tell us about the different boyfriends she had in her youth."

"Louie" suppressed it.

"I'm just telling the truth." he shrugged, hiding his hands in his pockets

"Even so." Frowned a little

They were silent for a few minutes, not sure what to say. After taking a breath, Louie glanced at his aunt and decided that it was the perfect time to put Phase 1 into action.

"Aunt Eli?"

"Hum...?"

"I know it's not Friday yet, but do you think you can bring me almond ice cream tomorrow?" he ask her, lightly scratching his left cheek and later his right arm

Elizabeth looked him up and down and then smiled at him, although her nephew noticed that it seemed to be a bit forced. That detail only made his stomach clench in guilt.

"Of course, sweetheart, you don't have to ask me."

"Seriously?" he exclaimed with feigned emotion and launched himself to hug her taking the elder duck by surprise. "I-I ..." he began with a trembling voice seconds later before pausing and frowning a little. “I don't know what you had to do so that the director didn't expel us, but still…" he looked up to give her a sincere smile that warmed the adult's heart. “Thank you, Aunt Eli. You're the best." he thanked her in a low voice, and Elizabeth blinked repeatedly, then smiled fondly and hugged him back.

They stayed like this for a few seconds until Dewey and Huey's screams broke their bubble.

Crag!

"Dewey!"

There went her favorite vase. Well, one more thing to add to her shopping list. Eliza sighed resignedly and hurried to grab her nephews' towels and go to the small bathroom just in time to see Dewey jump into the tub, soaking the entire floor.

"I'll find the mop." Louie warned to turn around and escape. Elizabeth just laughed and tried to calm Huey, who began to apologize for what his younger brother had broken.

Very soon, the houseboat was invaded by a wave of complaints and laughter. In an attempt to get out of the bathroom, the doctor slipped bay the wet floor and fell into the tub, soaking herself from head to toe. The noise caught the youngest of the triplets' attention, which arrived just in time to see his aunt comically showering by getting out of the shower while his brothers laughed at her and began to get wet between the three of them. He started recording everything with his cell phone to show it later to his uncle, maintaining a small smile. A classic scene from the Duck family, even in the most embarrassing, dangerous, or painful moments there was always something that made everyone smile.

"And it's worth it." Elizabeth thought, smiling when she saw how Dewey began to wet Louie, and the younger one began to protest, trying to protect his phone from the water.

She just prayed that she and Donald could maintain that bubble that they have worked so hard to create so that Huey, Dewey, and Louie can have a healthy and happy life, but mainly, protect them from the evil that lurks in the real world.

Too bad, the universe was not on her side at the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I already saw "The Trickening" episode and let me tell you I loved it! We can appreciate how each character has evolved through the series, the multiple references to classic horror movies, the everyone's costumes, and Donald, Della, Scrooge and LP's screen time were fabulous.
> 
> Can't wait for DW's one-hour-long special!
> 
> Next chapter: Woo-oo!


End file.
